The Black Within
- May 30, 2024
- waleedzo
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "The Black Within," become Laila Rose, a down-on-her-luck musician who sold her soul for fame and fortune. Venture into the aby at the instruction of your new boss, Arne Cheyenne, facing the consequences of your actions. This psychological horror experience challenges you with a battle of fear versus change, pain versus hope, and takes roughly 70 minutes to complete.
Reviews
- The game features a genuinely creepy atmosphere with effective jump scares that are well-placed and relevant to the story.
- The narrative is engaging and offers a unique social commentary, making it stand out among other horror games.
- The graphics and frame rate are impressive for an indie title, and the voice acting adds to the overall experience.
- The game is very short, taking only about an hour to complete, which may not justify its price for some players.
- Puzzles are overly simplistic, which may detract from the challenge and engagement for experienced players.
- There are issues with sound synchronization and some jump scares feel campy rather than genuinely frightening.
- story20 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and interesting, with a mix of horror elements and a central theme involving deals with dark forces. While some players appreciate the narrative's depth and the incorporation of lore through collectibles, others find it too brief and lacking in coherence, leading to a desire for a more developed plot. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a strong aspect, though opinions vary on its execution and conclusion.
“The story is engaging and effectively creepy, though it feels a bit short.”
“The storytelling was rich, original, and has a very important message behind it.”
“I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys horror games with a powerful story.”
“The story is too quick, too sudden; basically, it says 'what will happen if you make a deal with a dark thing.'”
“However, with that being said, I think this story is not only all over the place, but also highly unbelievable.”
“I did not like the ending; I was hoping for something more abstract instead of the story just spelling out the intended message.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its genuinely creepy and tense environment, enhanced by random paranormal activities that evoke a sense of dread. Players appreciate the rich visuals and psychologically intense narrative, which contribute to a consistently engaging and spooky experience across various locations. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that effectively immerses players in a chilling ambiance.
“The atmosphere was great in this game; I loved the random paranormal activity that occurred in the house, creating a sense of dread like something was behind you.”
“The game delivers good spooks and maintains a tense atmosphere.”
“I enjoyed the rich atmospheric visuals, engaging psychologically intense narrative, and exceptional design that was impressive.”
“The game has a genuinely creepy atmosphere.”
“The environment feels lifeless and uninspired, failing to immerse me in the experience.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere lacks tension and fails to evoke any real fear.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players praise the impressive visuals and solid frame rate, others criticize the dated interface and occasional sound synchronization issues that disrupt immersion. The rich atmospheric design and engaging narrative are highlighted as standout features, contributing to a visually appealing experience.
“Hi goblin, it's me Jake from TikTok. The graphics are amazing!”
“The game looks solid graphically.”
“I enjoyed the rich atmospheric visuals; the engaging psychologically intense narrative and exceptional design were impressive.”
“The graphics and interface are extremely dated for a new 2024 game.”
“However, there were occasional issues with sound not matching the visuals (time-wise, e.g., the bathtub scene), which slightly disrupted the immersion.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the nice soundtrack and grandiose compositions, others feel that it doesn't align well with the game's narrative, particularly in the context of a short indie horror experience. Additionally, some moments are noted to be impactful even without musical accompaniment.
“But the game has some good sides - it has no bugs and has a nice soundtrack.”
“Some of the most effective ones weren't even accompanied by music!”
“The grandiose music and deep quotes do not fit the narrative of a 50-minute indie horror game.”
“Some of the most effective moments weren't even accompanied by music!”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay features standard mechanics such as mini puzzles and key-finding tasks, complemented by decent scares, but some users feel the price is too high for the limited hour of gameplay offered. Overall, the gameplay is described as smooth and engaging.
“Smooth gameplay all throughout.”
“The price is too high for an hour of gameplay.”
“The actual mechanics of the game are pretty standard: mini puzzles to progress through the game (find keys, enter combinations, etc.) and with some pretty decent scares in between.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting amusing Easter eggs, such as a reference to xqc's emote, and finding the sound effects for item collection comically reminiscent of eating. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.
“There's a great easter egg behind the painting of xQc's emote that made me laugh!”
“I think the sound for picking up items was hilarious, as it sounded like you were eating things instead of putting them in your pocket.”
